Youth Transitions courses

Gateway is a work experience programme for ākonga in Years 11 to 13. With Gateway, you can experience working life while you're still at school – learning new skills and earning unit standards at the same time. Generally, a Gateway placement is unpaid work.

Who can apply for Gateway?

Full-time ākonga in Years 11 to 13 can apply for a place on Gateway. There is a focus on self-directed learning, so you should be motivated, enthusiastic and work-ready.

What qualifications do you get?

An individual Gateway Learning Plan will be developed for you, using Te Kura subject and industry standards relevant to your selected work placement. Each Gateway Learning Plan will offer at least 20 credits.

How does Gateway work?

You will attend, on a regular and ongoing basis, a workplace that interests you. Common industries that our ākonga have been placed in are listed below, although it may be possible to work in another field – just let us know what you want to do.

• Automotive
• Building and Construction
• Farming
• Early Childhood
• Electrical
• Equine (horse industry)
• Hospitality
• Retail

Over the duration of the programme, you will receive both on-the-job training and mentoring from a workplace supervisor. You will also be required to complete your Gateway Learning Plan. This will include theory and sometimes practical work that will be assessed at your workplace. 

How do I apply?

To find out more about Gateway or apply for a placement, talk to your kaimanaaki then email the Youth Transitions team: gateway@tekura.school.nz

Although you can apply at any time, places on Gateway are limited, so we advise that you apply as soon as possible.

If you are interested in a specific career, a STAR course may help you work out if it's right for you. STAR courses are short courses for Senior Secondary ākonga that are held at polytechnics or private training institutions. There are many STAR courses in lots of different industry areas. Some of the most popular courses involve industries such as hairdressing and beauty, automotive, coffee making and computer programming. 

How does STAR work?

You will participate in a short-term programme for a few days at a time, or one day per week for several weeks.

Travel subsidy

STAR ākonga may apply for a travel subsidy. If your travel is by public transport, you will need to provide copies of your tickets or a receipt of purchase together with a travel claim form. If you travel by car, you will need to record the mileage. For more information, please email the contact for your region.

Download STAR travel claim form

What courses are available in my area?

Click on your region below to find out what courses are available in your area. If there's something you'd like to do that isn't on the list, please let us know.

Te Tai Tokerau

Tamaki Makaurau

Te Kahui Rāwhiti

Te Kahui Hauāuru

Central South

Te Waipounamu

Te Aka Taumatua (available soon)

Distance courses

Find out more

STAR courses must be booked by the STAR contact for your region. Find your local contact below, or discuss your interest with your kaimanaaki.

Regional STAR contacts 

STAR funded camps

Our 2026 camp will be held from 14 to 19 June at the Hillary Outdoor Education Centre, Tongariro (arrive Sunday, depart Friday).

The aim of the course is to provide an opportunity for ākonga to learn through adventure, connect through participation, recognise their strengths and abilities, and develop confidence. Activities will be selected from a range including high and low ropes, climbing wall, flying fox, caving, navigation, mountain walking, canoeing, rock climbing and abseiling.

Applications will open in Term 1, 2026.

Te Kura offers trades programmes around New Zealand for ākonga in Year 11 and above.

These are practical and hands-on programmes with tertiary organisations such as polytechnics and private training organisations, and are usually face-to-face for one or two days per week.

These programmes lead to NCEA Level 2, further training or study, or to a career.

To participate you must be a full-time or young adult ākonga with Te Kura, studying a minimum of three subjects at NCEA Level 1, and be committed to completing the programme over one or two years.

How does Huarahi Trades Academy work?

You will attend a Trades Academy course for one or two days per week with one of our partners. Our partners include:

• Adventure Works – Auckland
• Ara Institute of Canterbury – Ashburton, Christchurch, Oamaru, Timaru
• Avon City Ford – Christchurch
• Design School – Palmerston North and Whangarei
• Dive Zone Tauranga
• Eastern Institute of Technology – Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti
• Employ NZ Tauranga
• Enviroskills – Northland, Te Kahui Rāwhiti, Te Kahui Hauaūru, Central South
• ETCO
• International Travel College – Auckland and Whangarei
• Land-Based Trade Academy (National Trades Academy) – Christchurch
• Manukau Institute of Technology Trades Academy – Auckland
• NorthTec – Whangarei
• NZMA Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton
  
• Otago Secondary-Tertiary College (Otago Polytechnic) – Cromwell and Dunedin
• Papa Taiao Earthcare
• Primary ITO
• Southern Institute of Technology (SIT)
  
• Techtorium – Auckland
• Top of the South Trades Academy (NMIT) – Marlborough and Nelson
• Toi Ohomai – Bay of Plenty
• Unitec – Auckland
• U-Skills (UCOL) – Masterton, Palmerston North and Wanganui
• Vision College – Christchurch
• Waikato Trades Academy (Wintec) – Hamilton, Pukekohe and Thames
• Wellington Trades Academy (Weltec/Whitirea)
• West Coast Trades Academy (Tai Poutini) – Greymouth and Westport
• Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT)
• Whenua Iti Outdoors

Partnership opportunities

We are always on the lookout for new partners and opportunities for our ākonga. If you are interested in a programme or provider not listed here, please email huarahi@tekura.school.nz and we'll see what we can do.

What's in it for me?

There are many benefits to joining a trades programme:

• A hands-on, practical approach to prepare you for work or further tertiary study
• An individual learning plan based on your interests and passions
• Improved confidence, self-esteem and work readiness
• The chance of getting into the workforce and/or trade training faster.

Who can apply for Huarahi Trades Academy?

To be eligible to apply for a place on a Huarahi Trades Academy programme, you must be:

• in Year 11 or above
• enrolled with Te Kura in at least three subjects at a minimum of NCEA Level 1.

This is a commitment over a one-to-two year period, although some ākonga may achieve their goals over a longer or shorter period. There are no tuition fees.

If you're interested in being part of the Huarahi Trades Academy, talk to your kaimanaaki, then call our Youth Transitions team on 0800 65 99 88 ext 8552 or email huarahi@tekura.school.nz.

If you have an idea about the kind of career you would like, but you can't get to a face-to-face course, you can try Tertiary Link. Tertiary Link is distance learning through one of our provider partners.

Tertiary Link subjects we offer

How does Tertiary Link work?

Tertiary Link courses are mostly theoretical, but may include some practical work. They will give you an idea of what it's like to study at tertiary level, and may help you decide whether a certain career path is right for you.

You can access up to 12-14 NCEA credits across all Tertiary Link courses.

Who can apply for Tertiary Link?

If you are interested in applying, talk to your kaimanaaki to see whether they think a Tertiary Link course would suit you and your goals. Once your kaimanaaki has agreed, please take a look at our subject information sheets to find out which Youth Transitions advisor to contact. If your application is accepted, the cost will be covered by Te Kura.